


Another Seat at the Table

by gingercanary



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV)
Genre: ADHD Zari Tarazi, Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, Fluff, It's OT3 time!, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-30
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27005488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gingercanary/pseuds/gingercanary
Summary: College AU, but make it international (as a treat). Zari knew every single hideaway in the university library, as she often studied there with her girlfriend, Nyssa. There's one space in particular no one ever came. Until Ava needed to study for her exams. And that's how two become three.orAn anon dropped into Rachel's inbox. She shared it with a Discord server I'm in. I'm already queen of assassinstar (zari 2.0/nyssa) might as well take on Zavalghul.
Relationships: Ava Sharpe & Mona Wu, Ava Sharpe & Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Dinah Drake & Nyssa al Ghul, Kendra Saunders & Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi, Nora Darhk & Ava Sharpe, Nyssa al Ghul & Ava Sharpe, Nyssa al Ghul/Zari Tomaz | Zari Tarazi
Comments: 5
Kudos: 9
Collections: Flarrowverse Femslash February Bingo 2021





	1. Patience

**Author's Note:**

  * For [zaritarazi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/zaritarazi/gifts).



The university library was a beautiful creation, full of hideaways and secrets for the curious to explore. Zari’s reason was different- not that she wasn’t curious- she definitely was. No, she preferred the nooks and crannies because no one would bother her there. Being a social media influencer had its downsides- one of those downsides being constant attention. When Zari became a student, she had to develop some tactics to live her life. One of the things she had to learn was hiding in plain sight- which is where her girlfriend came in. 

Her manicured fingers wrapped around her travel mug, Zari looked at Nyssa with a small smile. “Hey,” she whispered, bumping her boot against Nyssa’s underneath the table. 

“Hi.” Nyssa glanced up from the many complicated formulas written in her notebook, placing the pencil she held on the table. She smiled at Zari. 

“You’re cute when you’re thinking.” She reached over the table, taking Nyssa’s now-free hand. 

Raising an eyebrow, she replied, “I am always thinking.” 

Zari snorted. That definitely wasn’t true. “Not always.” She threw a quick glance at the sliver of space between the bookcases they were hidden by. Quite a few students knew about this particular location, though they had a hard time reaching it. It was rather hard to shove a fully packed bag through the narrow alley, which meant that this place was often abandoned. This was the exact reason why Zari preferred to study here, with Nyssa at her side. 

“Not always,” Nyssa echoed, giving Zari’s hand a squeeze. “Sometimes you are a powerful distraction.

Standing up, Zari moved around the desk, rolling Nyssa’s chair back. She sat down on Nyssa’s lap, one leg on either side, taking hold of Nyssa’s collar. With a mischievous smile, Zari lowered her eyes, biting her lip. “Oh, I am always a powerful distraction.” She kissed Nyssa. As Zari tangled her hands in Nyssa’s hair, she felt Nyssa grab hold of her sweater, tugging her closed. Just as Zari rolled her hips, moving further up Nyssa’s lap, someone stumbled into their space, blushing furiously. 

“Oh- uh. I uh-” Ava scrambled to pick up her bag, blatantly ignoring the position Zari held on Nyssa’s lap.

“Relax,” Zari said, pulling back from Nyssa ever so slightly. “There’s room for another.”

Ava managed to turn an even brighter shade of red before Nyssa realised what the problem was. 

“Another student at this desk,” she clarified, looping her arms around Zari’s waist. 

“Right, yeah I figured.” Ava seemed unsure whether she wanted to stay, looking between the bookcases, then back at the table. 

With a soft sigh, Zari returned to her seat at the table. As much as she enjoyed distracting Nyssa, she wasn’t about to make this girl uncomfortable. Besides, they were sitting there to study. 

When Ava didn’t sit down, Nyssa said, “Are you going to join us?” With such authority in her voice that Ava dropped into the nearest chair. 

Tugging the neckline of her sweater straight, Zari leaned in. “Aren’t you friends with Mona? Mona Wu?” 

“Um, yes.” Ava pulled her bag onto her lap as if she needed something to hold onto. “How do you know her?” 

From the corner of her eyes, Zari could see Nyssa observe Ava as if she were an interesting experiment. To keep her from scaring Ava off, Zari placed her hand in the middle of the table, pinky raised. 

Nyssa hooked her pinky into Zari’s without question, returning to her work as if nothing had happened. 

Early in their relationship, they’d developed certain habits. As Zari’s girlfriend, Nyssa was often forced into relatively large, important social situations. Given that these situations made her anxious, she preferred to stay quiet and only serve as arm candy. Zari appreciated her presence nonetheless.

“She’s in my modern literature class. Do you study the same thing?” Her eyes moved over the books Ava dropped onto the desk, not recognising any titles. 

“Oh, no. I study law- as you can see.” Ava gestured over the large- if not a bit dusty- books. “Mona’s doing a bachelor in English.”

Zari raised her eyebrows in a silent question. As much as she enjoyed to probe, her assignments were waiting for her and she’d never hand in anything late. 

“What?” Ava tilted her head.

“She is wondering where you know Mona from,” Nyssa supplied, not looking up from her work. With her left hand, she entered complicated calculations, her right still hooked into Zari’s. 

“Oh, uh thanks.” Ava shot Nyssa a grateful look, then returned to Zari. “I know Mona from book club, we’re in one together.” 

Zari tilted her head. “Book club, huh?” She tightened her grip on Nyssa’s pinky to get her attention. “I have to read more to get a better feel of symbolism and other details in stories for my literature class. So far I haven’t found a good tactic yet. Tell me, do you manage to read the books that are selected for book club?” She leaned in as if they were conspiring- sharing a secret and Ava blushed.

“Uh, yeah. Usually, I manage to finish them just in time. Why?” Ava swallowed audibly, her heart beating fast under Zari’s curious look and Nyssa’s analysing gaze. The air seemed charged- every word like a step on thin ice. 

Twisting a strand of hair around her finger, Zari said, “I work best when there’s a deadline. Book clubs are kind of like deadlines, right?” 

“I mean- yes.” Ava glanced at Nyssa for any hint of a social cue, but her face was blank. 

“Zari tries to read a lot, but distractions are limitless. As is her desire for an activity that will pay off in a short time.”

Zari shrugged and gave Nyssa a soft smile. “What can I say, it’s an ADHD thing. So, will you tell me about your book club?” 

With a sigh, Ava looked down at the pile of law books she still had to get through. “Could I do that later?” 

Instead of Zari, it was Nyssa who took charge. She wrote down both Zari’s and her own phone number on a piece of scrap paper, then placed it atop Ava’s books. “We both have class soon, but you can always reach us this way.” 

Ava stared at the most perfect- yet carelessly written series of numbers she’d ever seen. “Oh- thank you.”

“Do not mention it,” Nyssa spoke. Ava watched as the women gathered their things. Zari placed all her items in a fashionable shoulder bag as Nyssa carried a heavy-duty backpack. Considering the spectral aspects, Ava glanced down at her own bag- the worn edges of the black straps inching towards their destruction. She’d had her trusty backpack for seven years now, the lesbian pride heart she’d sown on faded. Sure, the zipper was half broken and it was ready to fall apart, but she loved it. 

“That is pretty.” 

Ava watched Nyssa’s fingers trace the faded colours, soft pink hues contrasting against the black sleeve of Nyssa’s shirt. 

“Thanks,” she managed to say, praying her face wasn’t as pink as the heart. 

Zari ducked underneath her now-packed bag and picked up her tea. “Well, we have class. Text us though. We love it here, don’t let it be taken away.”

When Ava frowned, Nyssa helped her out. 

“She means that we would like it if we could come back and sit with you again. After our classes.” 

“Oh, um. Yeah, totally.” She waved the two goodbye as they disappeared through the narrow space between the bookcases. Now that she sat alone at the table, which had been her original goal, the emptiness seemed to taunt her. As if she’d scared the girls away. Her eyes fell upon Nyssa’s piece of scrap paper, the neat handwriting contradicting her frayed nerves. She wasn’t sure what she should think. Nerves fluttered in her stomach, no longer focused on the impending exam. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone and saved the two phone numbers into her contacts. She wasn’t going to lose them that easily. 


	2. Raindrop(s)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meet Dinah, Nate, and Kendra. And, most importantly; Snowflake and Raindrop

  
Black and blue flashed before her eyes as Nyssa twirled her pen in her hands. At the front of the hall, her professor droned on and on about electromagnetic theories; variables and constants flying by. She always went to the questions hour before her exam, whether she had one or not. It was a form of insurance. Any questions her classmates might ask could be important. This time, there wasn’t much she didn’t know. 

She was pulled from her thoughts by a gentle jab in the ribs. 

“Look, his bald head is square,” Dinah whispered, moving her head in the direction of the lecturer. Dinah and Nyssa were practically inseparable since day one- the confident women in a group of men. Not to mention their constant alliance during the obligatory ethics classes. They were meant for each other, rising above expectations by questioning every action. 

Nyssa looked at the lecturer and snorted. “Now I cannot unsee that,” she whispered with a smile. 

Dinah raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You’re welcome.” 

They sat in silence for a few moments, writing down a particularly hard equation when Nyssa’s phone lit up. She unlocked it to see that Zari had escaped her lecture. They’d been let go to work on their essays, which meant that Zari and Kendra were grabbing coffee. “Look,” Nyssa whispered, handing Dinah her phone. Another reason for their kinship was their choice of partner. Particularly, women. 

Dinah smiled at the image of their girlfriends holding up big cups of coffee. “They’re such dorks,” she whispered. Right then, another notification popped up. “Who’s Ava?” 

Nyssa took her phone back to read the new message. “Someone we met this morning. A law student, Zari knows her friend Mona.” 

With a teasing tilt of her head, Dinah asked, “so what’d she do to get your number? You don’t have much in common with a law student.” 

“She likes the secret corners of the library as much as Zari and I do.”

Since her start as dragon girl, there was always one constant in her life. The influx of notifications. To keep herself from going completely insane, Zari had muted many apps and managed to colour-code her personal messages. The structure- though a little exhausting to keep in check- kept her life in control. She sat in the cold classroom next to Kendra as the last details of the honours project were worked out. The energy was low and everyone around her sat in loose sweaters and hoodies. For a moment, she envied them. Being able to dress without consideration. Zari found joy in her outfits, yes. That didn’t mean she was always comfortable in them. 

“Where’s your mind?” Kendra tapped a ringed pinky against Zari’s tea. 

“Deep in my head,” she sighed, raising her head from her hands. “How’s your project going?”

Kendra was working on the graphic part of their project- the art to be published alongside her story. Honours gave her the opportunity to explore more than what she knew and the new skills Kendra had gained over the past two months were jaw-dropping. “It’s going pretty well. I’ve gotten amazing at drawing dragons, I can tell you that much.” 

Zari smiled, scooting her chair so she could see Kendra’s screen. Art appeared, layer by layer as Kendra explained the process. Yes, Zari was a social media queen. She had more tech skills as a nine-year old than most of the professors did here, but her book wasn’t about that. It wasn’t about her. Her whole life, she was the centre of attention- blinded by flashing cameras and spotlights. Now that she had some breathing room, she wanted to show the world a different side of her. For her honours project, she was writing a kids story about dragons. 

After the last questions, their professor dismissed them so they could work on their project in peace. 

“Hey,” Zari said as she pulled the straps of her backpack over her shoulders. “Guess where I think we should go.”

Kendra sighed and heaved her bag over her shoulder. “Is it the cafe, Beans & Paws? Please tell me it is, I could really use some caffeine right now.” 

“Yup, come on. My treat.” She offered her hand, a grin on her lips.

“You are a gift.” Kendra took Zari’s hand and together they made their way to the cafe. It was early in October and the trees lining their path were sprinkled with orange and red leaves, contrasting the grey sky. Neither one of them loved cold weather but they both adored Halloween. They talked about the upcoming parties and holiday activities they had planned as it began to drizzle, small drops of water settling in their hair. 

The cafe was relatively empty, soft music filling the quiet space. Kendra pushed the door open and was hit in the face with the smell of freshly baked muffins. “Do you want-”

“Yes, always,” Zari replied, walking in behind her. They removed their coats and sat down in the corner, near the cafe’s residential cat.   
Since Zari was a student and lived in an apartment, she wasn’t allowed to have a cat. Now, she could just move someplace else but she wanted to have a normal student life, which meant that she would not buy a fancy apartment in a different area of the city. Even if that meant she couldn’t have a cat. 

They were barely in their seats or Snowflake- the ironically named black cat- hopped onto Kendra’s lap. “Hi baby, how’s your day been?” Kendra cooed, scratching Snowflake behind the ears.

Zari reached over the table, all manners ignored as Snowflake licked her finger. “Who’s the best Snowflake,” she whispered. 

“I knew you two love Snowflake more than me.”

Zari and Kendra turned their attention to Nate who stood at their table with a notepad and pen in his hand. 

“Okay but your hair is gelled,” Kendra retorted. “It’s not soft like Snowflake’s.” 

Nate patted his hair for a quick second. “That’s fair. What do you guys want to drink today?” 

The girls put in their usuals, as well as a blueberry muffin each and Nate returned with their orders. And a small surprise. 

“Why is your apron wiggling?” Zari raised her eyebrows. 

“No reason…”

“Did you try to adopt a squirrel again?! You know those aren’t pets, right?” Kendra said. 

Nate flushed and said, “that was one time! And he seemed so hungry and cold, his fur was all spiky from the rain.” He reached into his apron and pulled out three pens, a scrap of paper, and a grey kitten. The kitten meowed indignantly. 

“I love them,” Zari decided, reaching for the baby. “Hi, little one, what’s your name?” She asked as Nate let her take the kitten.

“Wait, is this another stray?” Kendra fixed Nate a stern look. 

“Well… she’s from the nearby animal shelter. You know, the one Mona volunteers at?”

Kendra nodded, Zari only had eyes for the kitten. 

“Well, I went to visit her and she showed me the new pets they’d acquired and…” Nate gestured to the kitten. “Her name is Raindrop and yes I asked for permission before getting us another cafe cat.”

Raindrop had nestled her way into the crook of Zari’s neck who looked ready to cry of pure joy. “I love her,” she said. 

“Okay, wait. That’s adorable, give me your phone.” Nate took Zari’s phone and snapped a quick picture of the two girls with their cats. “There, send that to Mona,” he suggested. 

“As if you haven’t sent her a billion pictures of them already,” Zari muttered but she selected Nyssa and Mona in her contacts, then hit send. Slightly inconvenienced by their pets, they got to work. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen you always need cats.  
> Love,  
> Freckles


	3. Connections

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gals get together. There's not one but two cats. We learn a little more about Zari and Nyssa. I use this story to complete a square on my femslash february bingo and also continue to join Zava weekend.

When their professor finally ended his questions hour, Nyssa and Dinah gathered their things, their destination pre-approved. Sitting through the class had become a lot harder when they’d learnt that Beans & Paws had acquired a new cat. Together, they ran to the cafe, trying to protect themselves from the rain. The rain itself wasn’t such a bother, but wearing damp clothes for the rest of the day nearly guaranteed a cold and they were not down for that. As they slowed to a stop at the front door, Nate caught their eye and waved happily. He loved it when his friends came by. 

“Come in, come in!” He gestured for them to sit down with their girlfriends. “Meet Raindrop!” 

Shaking out her hair, Dinah said, “I think I’ve already met Raindrop.”

Nyssa laughed as the two of them removed their coats and sat down. As usual, Zari and Kendra had picked one of the biggest tables, ensuring that they could all work there. Two laptops stood back to back, a kitten laying between them. As Dinah and Nyssa got settled in, Nate had grabbed their usuals, setting them on the table between the laptops and cats. 

Placing a hand on the table, Nyssa introduced herself to Raindrop, letting her sniff at her fingers. “Hello,” she whispered.

Raindrop turned onto her back, grabbing hold of Nyssa’s finger with her front paws. She brought it to her toothy maw and attempted to bite it. 

“You need more practice, little one.” A warmth spread through her as she watched the small creature interact with her fingers. Understanding more and more about the complicated formulas that made up the world every day, it was easy for her to forget simple things. Watching Raindrop from the corner of her eye, Nyssa took out her phone and checked out the message Ava had sent her. It was a small apology saying that she’d left their table because she had class.

“Who’re you texting?” Zari gently knocked a knuckle against Nyssa’s. 

Nyssa turned her phone slightly so Zari could see the screen. “Ava’s had to leave our space,” she replied. “I figured I should reply.” 

The second sentence came out more like a question, leaving the choice to Zari. “Hm, yeah.” She scooped the phone out of Nyssa’s hand, typing a quick reply before telling her girlfriend to smile. Seconds later, the image joined Zari’s quick text on its way to Ava.  _ If you’re looking for another good place to study, Paws & Beans has cats _ . 

The four girls spent the remainder of their day at the cafe, studying and drinking a little too much coffee and tea. Outside, the grey clouds rushed by, casting shadows over the speeding students. A colourful array of umbrellas moving through the streets served as a peaceful background for Nyssa’s study session until a lesbian heart caught her eye. 

“Look.” She nudged Zari, who took out her earbuds. “She came.” 

Zari turned her attention to the door, where Ava and Mona were putting their umbrellas in the basket. A few stray raindrops glistened in Ava’s blonde hair as she looked around to find a free table. 

Spotting Zari, Mona took Ava by the hand and manoeuvred them to the table nearby. “Hey, guys!” 

Zari tried not to smile as Mona wrapped her arms around Nyssa, oblivious to Nyssa’s confused expression. “Hey Mona, how are you?” 

Mona continued hugging every person at the table, wrapping her arms around Zari last. “I’m great, it’s perfect weather to stay inside and read. It’s also perfect weather to walk the dogs at the shelter!”

“Yeah, if you have big waterproof boots and a high-quality raincoat,” Ava snorted. When everyone turned to look at her, she realised she hadn’t introduced herself. “Hi, I’m Ava,” she said, hovering behind Nyssa’s chair. “I haven’t been here before, what do you guys recommend?”

“Well, what kind of coffee do you like?” Zari leaned toward Ava with a smile. 

Blushing, Ava fiddled with the ring on her middle finger. “Honestly, I like black coffee but cappuccinos too. I’m not too picky as long as it’s not mostly sugar.”

“Perfect, those are my preferences as well.” Nate appeared behind Ava, who whirled around and backed away, right into Nyssa’s lap. “Sorry, I’m very quiet when I walk. I’m Nate, I’ll be your server and possibly your friend.”

Ava stared at Nate for a few seconds, only breaking her gaze when she felt arms wrap around her waist. Nyssa looked up at her with warm eyes. 

“Nice landing,” she said. 

“Um, thanks.” Brushing her hair out of her face, Ava turned back to Nate. “Hi, I’m Ava. What do you recommend?” 

Bouncing on the balls of his feet, Nate asked, “will you let me surprise you? I promise I’ll get you something else if you don’t like it.”

Ava looked at Mona and Zari to see what they were thinking. She usually wasn’t this trusting of strangers who scared her but her friends were nodding, so she agreed to the surprise. 

“So, Ava,” Dinah eyed the new girl with a grin. 

realising that she was still on Nyssa’s lap, Ava jumped up. Mona had already pulled out a chair for her, leaning on the back as she observed the situation. When she was sitting, Mona leaning on her shoulder, Ava turned back to Dinah. “Yeah?” 

“How do you know Mona?” 

Feeling her cheeks warm up under the curious gaze of Kendra and Dinah, Ava glanced at her hands. Then a black cat hopped onto her lap. “Oh, uh…” Scratching the cat behind their ears, Ava attempted to remember what the question was. 

When Ava didn’t finish her thought, Mona piped up. “We’ve been friends since we were first years! You know how there’s a week when newbies get put into groups and lead around by older students?” She paused for an answer.

“When the associations have those little stalls and there are parties and activities everywhere, yeah,” Dinah replied. 

“Well, Ava was in my group and she was reading my absolute favourite book during that week. We’ve been friends since then. My favourite book recommended her!” 

Zari giggled. The spark in Mona’s eyes never failed to make her smile, her enthusiasm a fire no one could put out. She leaned to Ava, who was still distracted by the guest on her lap. “So what were you reading?” 

Startled, Ava turned her attention to Zari. She’d temporarily forgotten all about the group of beautiful women around her that made her nervous. “Oh, one of the Jasmine Guillory books. She’s Mona’s favourite author.” 

The rest of the afternoon was filled with cats, book discussions, and distracted studying. When they began to feel hungry, the sky was already dark and the sun had set. Grumbling, they packed up their things and parted ways. Kendra and Dinah went to their apartment on campus, Ava and Mona took the bus to a different neighbourhood as Zari and Nyssa biked home. 

In the warmth of their apartment, Nyssa started cooking dinner as Zari responded to some work emails. It didn’t take long before her mind started to drift through mirages of the stories she grew up with. Writing her own story had been a choice she was afraid to make at first. Setting her imagination free, putting her fantasies into words- she knew she was opening her heart and showing it to others, not just Nyssa and her family. The writing gave her a new way to express herself, one that didn’t involve cameras and captions. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Nyssa, who placed two steaming bowls of rice vegetables and tofu on the dinner table. After tucking her laptop away, Zari joined her girlfriend. They ate in comfortable silence, both of them worn out from their long day. With Nyssa, Zari didn’t have to worry about being social 24/7. She could eat across from her, taking Nyssa’s free hand ever so often. 

“Hey,” Nyssa started. They’d just put their dishes away and were sitting on the worn green couch, both clutching a cup of tea. In a few minutes, Zari would return to her emails and Nyssa would start her yoga routine, as they were both creatures of scheduled habit. 

“Hmm?” Zari tilted her head.

“Maybe we should join Mona and Ava’s book club? After exams, of course. We are both too busy to take it on right now.” 

Smiling, Zari pulled Nyssa close. “That’s a good idea. We should probably check out the other members of the club first, to see if they’re… chill.”

Nyssa laughed and nodded. They had to see whether the book club had anyone obsessed with social media, or they would never get any peace. “We will see if they are chill,” she agreed. Then, both of them started their activities.

**Author's Note:**

> Listen I love OT3s. I love Zari Tarazi/Nyssa al Ghul. I love Zari Tarazi/Ava Sharpe. If y'all didn't see this coming by now you just don't pay enough attention.  
> To talk about this wonderful ship, hmu on Tumblr @ginger-canary! Or you can go bug Rachel about it @zaritarazi 'cause that's where this started  
> Love,  
> Freckles


End file.
